Excerpt from CFO Dive Article, Published on July 15, 2025
The European Commission has published the final version of its General-Purpose AI Code of Practice, designed to help businesses comply with the upcoming EU AI Act. With the AI Act set to take effect on August 2, 2025, this voluntary code offers practical guidance on transparency, copyright, and safety requirements essential for companies deploying advanced AI models.
Developed by 13 independent experts and shaped by over 1,000 stakeholders, the code includes a transparency chapter that provides a model documentation form to help providers meet mandatory reporting standards. It also outlines copyright policies and safety measures for providers, ensuring robust risk mitigation in line with AI Act rules.
Once officially endorsed by EU Member States and the European Commission, businesses can become voluntary signatories to this code. Signing the code reduces administrative burdens and offers greater legal certainty compared to other compliance approaches. This step marks an important milestone in the EU’s path toward comprehensive AI regulation.
Despite the code’s release, some industry voices have called for clearer guidance and additional time for compliance. Certain key documents, such as the AI Office’s guidelines on rule application, remain pending, raising concerns about the short window before the AI Act’s enforcement.
The AI Act mandates that AI models built after August 2 must comply within one year, while existing models have two years to adjust. The code of practice thus serves as an interim tool to aid businesses in meeting these tight deadlines.
Enterprises seeking to align with the EU’s strict AI regulations should closely monitor further guidance expected in July 2025 and consider adopting the code of practice to navigate the legal landscape safely.
To delve deeper into this topic, read the CFO Dive article.
